UK PM Johnson to phase out Huawei's 5G role within months

Move to stop installing Huawei equipment comes after GCHQ raised new security fears over Chinese technology

LONDON:

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is expected to begin phasing out the use of Chinese tech giant Huawei’s technology in Britain’s 5G network as soon as this year, The Daily Telegraph reported on Saturday.

Officials are drawing up proposals to stop installing new Huawei Technologies equipment in the 5G network in as little as six months, and to speed up the removal of technology that is already in place, the newspaper bit.

The move comes after the nation’s spy agency GCHQ raised new security fears over Chinese technology.

A report prepared by GCHQ’s National Cyber Security Centre concludes that new U.S. sanctions on Huawei will force the company to use untrusted technology that could make the risk impossible to control, the newspaper said.

The sanctions have had a “severe” impact on the firm that significantly changes GCHQ’s calculations, the report said.

The report is expected to be presented to Johnson this week.

Johnson’s spokesman said earlier this week that officials will soon complete a review of the implications of the latest US sanctions, which are aimed at cutting off Huawei’s access to US chipmakers.